Bilingual Education (EC-6 Certification), Bachelor of Science
Program Overview
The Bachelor Science (BS) in Bilingual Education (EC-6 Certification) program prepares students to pursue a career as a bilingual education teacher. The program prepares prospective teachers to teach children who are learning academic content in both English and Spanish. Bilingual education teachers help support children as they become fluent and literate in two languages. Proficiency in Spanish is required to enter this program. Bilingual education teachers are in high demand.
The BS in Bilingual Education (EC-6 Certification) program addresses Classroom Certification Teacher Standards (19 TAC Rule Chapter 235): Subchapter B. Elementary School Certificate Standards, Subchapter E. Science of Teaching Reading Standards, Subchapter F. Supplemental Certificate Standards: §235.117. Bilingual Spanish Standards. The program prepares applicants for the Texas State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC) issued Core Subjects with Science of Teaching Reading: Early Childhood-6 certificate and the Bilingual Education Supplemental: Spanish certificate.
Admission requirements for this program beyond university admission requirements.
Progression requirements for this program.
- Field based experiences will be required throughout the program as part of specific course requirements. Field based experiences consist of time spent in a classroom setting working with children and teachers in grade level or content area of certification sought, and are an important part of the teacher candidate's preparation to become a certified teacher in the state of Texas.
- Students must apply and be accepted into clinical teaching prior to their last semester in the program or to residency prior to their last year in the program.
- Teacher Preparation Program progression requirements include GPA, course grades, certification courses, benchmarks/key assessments and testing.
Note: This program leads to a profession which requires an occupational license as defined under Texas Occupations Code 58.001. This requires that all applicants seeking to become licensed must undergo a criminal background check prior to licensure. Students in this program should check with the College of Education and P-16 Integration on the requirements for a criminal background check prior to clinical student teaching.
Core Curriculum - 42 hours
The Core Curriculum serves as a broad foundation for the undergraduate degree. All candidates for a bachelor’s degree must achieve core student learning outcomes, including communication, critical thinking, empirical and quantitative skills, teamwork, personal responsibility and social responsibility, by completing courses within each category or component area of the Core Curriculum as outlined below.
The University has approved specific courses that satisfy Core Curriculum Requirements. Approved courses can be found on the Core Curriculum Page. Students seeking the most efficient way to complete the core curriculum and major or minor requirements are advised to take approved courses that can fulfill both requirements. Although core curriculum courses can also be used to fulfill major or minor requirements, earned credits hours are only applied once.
The courses listed below fulfill core curriculum and major requirements. Students who have completed a core curriculum category with courses other than those listed below will still be required to take the listed course(s) to meet major requirements.
020 Mathematics - 3 hours
Choose from:
040 Language, Philosophy, and Culture - 3 hours
Choose from:
| MASC 2301 | Introduction to Mexican American Studies | 3 |
| SPAN 2320 | Latina/o Culture and Civilization in Spanish | 3 |
050 Creative Arts - 3 hours
Major Requirements - 78 hours
Required Courses - 78 hours
Prerequisite to Teacher Education Admission Coursework - 12 hours
Academic Content Coursework - 18 hours
| EDBE 2300 | Pedagogical Language for Bilingual Teachers | 3 |
| HIST 3309 | History Foundations for Elementary Social Studies Educators | 3 |
| MUSI 1306 | Music Appreciation | 3 |
| READ 3320 | Early Literacy Development | 3 |
| SCIE 3301 | Science for Elementary Teachers I | 3 |
| SCIE 3302 | Science for Elementary Teachers II | 3 |
Post-Admission to Teacher Preparation Program Pedagogical Coursework - 24 hours
| EDBE 3322 | Foundations of Bilingual Education and ESL | 3 |
| EDBE 3323 | The Development of Bilingualism | 3 |
| EDBE 3324 | Early Biliteracy and Young Bilingual Children | 3 |
| EDBE 4305 | Language Arts in the Bilingual Classroom | 3 |
| EDBE 4306 | The Bilingual Curriculum in the Content Areas | 3 |
| EDSL 3310 | Emergent Bilingual Students in Schools | 3 |
| READ 3324 | Reading Comprehension and Assessment | 3 |
| SPED 4310 | Inclusion and Differentiated Instruction in Special Education | 3 |
Pedagogy Core Coursework - 24 hours
| EDCI 3331 | Human Development and Student Learning | 3 |
| EDCI 3332 | Designing and Implementing Instruction and Assessment | 3 |
| EDCI 3333 | Teaching Science to Elementary Students | 3 |
| EDCI 3334 | Teaching Mathematics to Elementary Students | 3 |
| EDCI 3335 | Teaching Social Studies to Elementary Students | 3 |
| EDCI 4320 | Professional Development in Teaching | 3 |
| EDCI 4637 | Student Teaching for Elementary Teachers (EC-6) | 6 |
| Or | |
| EDCI 4331 | Clinical Teaching Residency I for Elementary Teachers (EC-6) | 3 |
| And | |
| EDCI 4332 | Clinical Teaching Residency II for Elementary Teachers (EC-6) | 3 |
Students will complete a 6-credit hour clinical teaching experience through EDCI 4637 or EDCI 4331 and EDCI 4332.
The EDCI 4331 and EDCI 4332 course sequence is only for students completing the Clinical Teaching Residency Pathway. The two courses are to be taken the last year of the program.
Advanced Minimum Credit Hours: 42
Total Credit Hours: 120
View this program’s recommended roadmap to graduation.
UTRGV Roadmaps are a suggested sequence of courses designed to assist students in completing their undergraduate degree requirements. This is a term-by-term sample roadmap of courses required to complete the degree. Students must satisfy all requirements in their catalog including, but not limited to course prerequisites, grade point average and course grade benchmarks, progression requirements, and graduation requirements.
Students should meet with their academic advisor every semester to discuss their individualized path toward completion. Degree progress within this roadmap depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation and readiness, student time management, work and personal responsibilities, and financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.